Marquez takes MotoGP pole in thrilling qualifying

Spanish ace Marc Marquez resorted to his spare bike to secure pole position in a stunning close to qualifying for the Austin, Texas, MotoGP.

Marquez came to a stop beside the pit wall with three minutes remaining in Q2, which saw him forced to sprint to his pit and climb aboard his second factory Honda.

During the ensuing crucial seconds Marquez dropped from the top of the time sheets to seventh but in the dying stages he produced a crippling lap to vault back to the top.

Marquez unleashed a supreme effort, surviving a scare to post a 2:02.135s lap to land the prime spot by .3s.

“With the second bike the set-up was not perfect and I had a big moment,” Marquez said.

Andrea Dovizioso was second for Ducati while Jorge Lorenzo was third on the Yamaha.

Valentino Rossi nabbed fourth for Yamaha in the dying seconds as the order changed complexion several times.

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow was fifth after seizing the top time momentarily in a hectic closing few minutes.

The order saw Lorenzo dislodge Crutchlow before Dovizioso went quickest but ultimately they were all sitting ducks for Marquez’s stunning late effort.

Dovizioso remained diplomatic afterwards but realises he faces a battle to match the pace of the #93 factory Honda of Marquez at the Circuit of the Americas.

“The lap time is pretty good and I’m happy. We have to work in a little more to match that speed (of Marquez),” Dovizioso said.

Aussie Jack Miller will start from 19th on the second LCR Honda.

Result: Texas MotoGP qualifying

1	Marc Márquez	Honda	2:02.135
2	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati	2:02.474
3	Jorge Lorenzo	Yamaha	2:02.540
4	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha	2:02.573
5	Cal Crutchlow	Honda	2:02.613
6	Scott Redding	Honda	2:02.674
7	Andrea Iannone	Ducati	2:02.792
8	Aleix Espargaró	Suzuki	2:02.869
9	Pol Espargaró	Yamaha	2:03.161
10	Bradley Smith	Yamaha	2:03.440
11	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati	2:03.741
12	Maverick Viñales	Suzuki	2:03.754
13	Héctor Barberá	Ducati	2:03.926
14	Stefan Bradl	Yamaha Forward/Yamaha	2:04.275
15	Yonny Hernández	Ducati	2:04.313
16	Mike Di Meglio	Ducati	2:04.392
17	Eugene Laverty	Honda	2:04.875
18	Hiroshi Aoyama	Honda	2:05.086
19	Jack Miller	Honda	2:05.156
20	Loris Baz	Yamaha Forward/Yamaha	2:05.214
21	Karel Abraham	Honda	2:05.261
22	Nicky Hayden	Honda	2:05.569
23	Álvaro Bautista	Aprilia	2:05.595
24	Alex de Angelis	ART/Aprilia	2:06.145
25	Marco Melandri	Aprilia	2:07.267